The Haryana rapes (2012)

In the state of Haryana, numerous Dalit women and underage girls have been raped in recent months, often with extreme brutality. While women from other social groups have also been the victims of rape, Dalit women are particularly vulnerable to such crimes. According to some estimates, 90 percent of crimes against Dalit women are not reported due to fear of social ostracism and threats to personal safety and security.

In one of the most publicised cases, a 16-year old Dalit girl was raped for three hours by at least seven men – mostly from a dominant caste - in the village of Dabra, Hisar district, on 9 September. The perpetrators filmed the incident with their cell phones. Nine days later, as he discovered what had happened to his daughter, her father committed suicide. Only when faced with mass protests, did the police decide to take action against the suspected culprits.

This and numerous other attacks prompted a newspaper commentator to write the following in The Hindu: “If you are a poor woman who is raped, you cannot even imagine a life where there will be justice. If you are a poor woman and a Dalit, then the chances of justice are even slimmer.”

Dalit activists reacted to the reports by sending a fact finding mission to Haryana and, subsequently, by organising a march to some of the places where Dalit women and girls had been raped. This Dalit Mahila Garima Yatra expressed solidarity with the rape survivors and outrage against the institutionalised sexual violence against Dalit women.

Newspaper articles:

• The Haryana horrors (Deccan Chronicle)
• Hisar’s shame (Frontline)
• A village rape shatters a family (New York Times)
• Lost in Haryana’s rape debate – a girl’s story (The Hindu)
• Haryana’s bestial rape chronicles (Tehelka)
• In Haryana, more and more rapes every year (Indian Express)
• In Haryana, hundreds protest state’s response (India Ink)
• Just a number (The Hindu)
• Haryana: Two minor girls raped (NDTV)

More information:

• Violence against Dalit women (AIDMAM)
• Dalit women activists on Haryana (dalitweb.org)
• Rape has been the favourite weapon of the dominant castes (Round Table India)
• Asha Kowtal speaks about Haryana rape cases (YouTube)
• Fact finding report: Gang rape of Dalit girl (NCDHR)
• Haryana rape cases – a detailed report (Pratirodh Bureau)